Home From the Sea
Phil Coulter Lyrics
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With a storm at its height
The lifeboat answered the call.
They pitched and they tossed
Till we thought they were lost
As we watched from the harbor wall.
Though the night was pitch black,
There was no turning back,
But each volunteer
Had to live with his fear
As they joined in a silent prayer.
Home, home, home from the sea
Angels of mercy, answer our plea
And carry us home, home, home from the( sea
Carry us safely home from the sea.
As they battled their way
Past the mouth of the bay,
It was blowing like never before.
As they gallantly fought,
Every one of them thought
Of loved ones back on the shore.
Then a flicker of light
And they knew they were right.
There she was on the crest of a wave.
She's an old fishing boat
And she's barely afloat.
Please God, there are souls we can save.
Home, home, home from the sea
Angels of mercy, answer our plea
And carry us home, home, home from the( sea
Carry us safely home from the sea.
And back in the town
In a street that runs down
To the sea and the harbor wall,
They'd gathered in pairs
At the foot of the stairs
To wait or the radio call.
And just before dawn
When all hope had gone
Came a hush and a faraway sound.
'Twas the coxswain he roared
All survivors on board
Thank God and we're homeward bound.
Home, home, home from the sea
Angels of mercy, answer our plea
And carry us home, home, home from the( sea
Carry us safely home from the sea.
Phil Coulter's song "Home From The Sea" tells the story of a group of volunteers who set out in a lifeboat on a stormy night to rescue sailors stranded on a fishing boat. The first verse sets the scene of the stormy weather, as watchers on the harbor wall witness the lifeboat venture into the darkness, pitching and tossing in the waves. They recognize the courage of the volunteers who take the risk of braving the storm to save the lives of others. As the volunteers struggle through the rough seas, they all pray silently and confront their fears. The refrain "Home, home, home from the sea, Angels of mercy, answer our plea, And carry us home, home, home from the sea, Carry us safely home from the sea" is a plea to be delivered from danger and brought back to the safety of the shore.
The second verse focuses on the determination and focus of the lifeboat volunteers as they overcome the challenges of the storm to reach the distressed fishing boat. Despite the huge waves and strong winds, they think about their loved ones back at the shore and the people they're trying to rescue. They finally spot the fishing boat and know that they are on the right track. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the power of the plea for divine intervention, as they seek the assistance of guardian angels to guide them through the stormy sea.
In the final verse, the action shifts back to the shore, where everyone is anxiously waiting for news of the rescue mission. The friends and family of the volunteers, as well as the wider community, are all hoping for a positive outcome. Finally, the news arrives that all of the stranded sailors have been saved, and they are all safely heading back to the harbor. The song ends with a sense of relief and gratitude, as the singer acknowledges the heroic efforts of the volunteers and celebrates their safe return.
Line by Line Meaning
On a cold winters night
It was a frigid and bitter winter evening.
With a storm at its height
A raging, severe storm was presently happening.
The lifeboat answered the call.
The lifeboat was launched in response to an emergency situation.
They pitched and they tossed
The lifeboat was being tossed around by the violent waves and winds.
Till we thought they were lost
It appeared that the lifeboat may have been lost at sea.
As we watched from the harbor wall.
Observing from the harbor wall, onlookers were filled with concern and worry.
Though the night was pitch black,
Despite the darkness of the night, the rescuers persevered.
There was no turning back,
The rescuers were dedicated and committed to completing the mission.
For someone was waiting out there,
The rescuers were aware that someone was in need of saving.
But each volunteer
Each individual on the rescue team selected to participate as a volunteer.
Had to live with his fear
The rescuers had to push past their fear to perform their duties.
As they joined in a silent prayer.
The rescuers offered a silent prayer for safety and success.
Home, home, home from the sea
The repetition of 'home' highlights the desire to return safely back to shore.
Angels of mercy, answer our plea
The rescuers relied on divine intervention to provide them with aid and guidance.
And carry us home, home, home from the( sea
The rescuers wished to be safely carried back to shore after completing their mission.
Carry us safely home from the sea.
The ultimate goal was to safely return to land after journeying out to sea to rescue someone in peril.
As they battled their way
The journey for the rescuers was challenging, requiring a significant showdown.
Past the mouth of the bay,
The rescue team ventured past the entrance to the bay to save someone who needed help.
It was blowing like never before.
The winds and stormy conditions were particularly intense during this rescue mission.
As they gallantly fought,
The rescuers put up a brave fight in their attempts to save precious lives.
Every one of them thought
Each team member took a moment to consider loved ones at home while on the rescue mission.
Of loved ones back on the shore.
The rescuers kept loved ones in their hearts and minds throughout the journey out to sea to save someone.
Then a flicker of light
The team of rescuers caught sight of a small but noticeable light off in the distance.
And they knew they were right.
The light signaled to the rescuers that they were approaching the location of someone in trouble.
There she was on the crest of a wave.
The rescuers spotted a vessel that was in distress making its way on top of a cresting wave.
She's an old fishing boat
The troubled vessel was an aged fishing boat.
And she's barely afloat.
The fishing boat was heavily damaged and in danger of sinking.
Please God, there are souls we can save.
The rescuers turned to their faith, hoping that they would be able to save the lives of those on board.
And back in the town
The focus of the story shifts back to shore.
In a street that runs down
The street in which a community of onlookers had gathered to await good news is described..
To the sea and the harbor wall,
The street in question leads towards the sea and harbor wall.
They'd gathered in pairs
Pairings of people came together to await word from the rescuers out at sea.
At the foot of the stairs
The group waited at the bottom of a set of stairs leading down to the shore.
To wait or the radio call.
They awaited word from the rescuers, which would ideally come via radio contact.
And just before dawn
Dawn was approaching in the hours leading up to the conclusion of the rescue mission.
When all hope had gone
There was no longer any hope that those on board the troubled ship would be saved.
Came a hush and a faraway sound.
Eventually, a faint noise could be heard in the distance, creating a moment of silence and anticipation.
'Twas the coxswain he roared
The voice on the other end was that of the lifeboat's captain, who shouted out.
All survivors on board
Fortunately, there were survivors who were successfully rescued and brought back to shore.
Thank God and we're homeward bound.
The rescue team gave thanks for their success, ready to return safely back home.
Contributed by Luke I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.